Maker SIG (Formerly Engineering Education)

Schools are rapidly gaining access to an array of engineering technologies. These include “3D printers, laser cutters, easy-to-use design software, and desktop machine tools” that offer opportunities to “design and build almost anything.”

(White House, A Nation of Makers) These technologies are increasingly found in school Maker Spaces.

Maker Spaces in schools offer new opportunities for learning. The educational benefits of these resources will not be realized unless the next generation of teachers is prepared to make use of these new capabilities. Practicing teachers also need access to professional development and support to allow them to use these tools effectively.

The Maker SIG welcomes educators exploring related opportunities for learning in the arts and humanities as well as in the STEM fields. These topics encompass, but are not limited to, the following as they relate to pre-service and in-service teacher education: